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ROCK and dance music fans have been given a gift as the city’s biggest music festival announces its weekend headliners exclusively through The News.

Firestarters The Prodigy and former The Jam frontman and prolific solo-artist Paul Weller will top the bill at this year’s Victorious Festival.

The widely revered singer-songwriter will headline the mainstage on Southsea Common on Saturday, August 25, while the electronic dance act will close the festival on Sunday.

And in a major coup for Victorious, The Prodigy date is a UK festival exclusive. The band, led by Liam Howlett with totemic dancer and vocalist Keith Flint and MC Maxim, have clocked up six number one albums and built up a fearsome reputation as a live act since they emerged from the rave scene more than 25 years ago.

Weller has been a household name since he became famous as The Jam’s livewire frontman in the late 1970s. But he has also clocked up 13 hit solo albums, including the hugely acclaimed Wild Wood, Stanley Road and his most recent A Kind Revolution, released last May.

Festival director Andy Marsh said: ‘We’re tremendously excited about this year’s festival. We were determined to pull out all the stops and deliver something incredible and I’m proud to say I think it’s our best line-up yet.

‘We’ve been talking about trying to get The Prodigy from the beginning because they are such a massive name. It’s absolutely brilliant that we’ve got them as a UK exclusive.

‘And then to have Paul Weller, who is going to go down so well with the Portsmouth crowd, we’re well pleased.’

They join previously announced The Libertines and Kaiser Chiefs, who play on the Friday.

‘It’s all coming together nicely,’ Andy added.

‘Every time we’ve put something on social media recently we’ve been getting shouted at about when’s the announcement coming? So it’s really nice to finally be able to get it out there!

‘There’s plenty more to announce in the coming months too, so it’s safe to say Victorious 2018 is going to be truly spectacular, we can’t wait.’

Also officially announced today, double platinum-selling singer-songwriter, Paloma Faith will be gracing the stage on Saturday. And following a five-year hiatus Friendly Fires will bring their indie-dance to the stage on Sunday. And headlining the Castle Stage on is Sunday million-selling electro-pop trio, Years & Years.

The festival takes place on Southsea seafront over the August bank holiday weekend. Friday tickets cost from £30 and Saturday and Sunday at £35 a day. For tickets and more details go to victoriousfestival.co.uk